of his efforts may be acceptable to his brethren in the ministry, to the congregation so much attached to his departed friend, and to the Church at large, he cheerfully commits it to them, feeling that however laborious has been the undertaking, it has been a most delightful privilege to be engaged in such continued and intimate contemplation of the character and ministry of one, whose uninterrupted friendship in life, was one of his choicest blessings, and whose example will be a light in his path while earthly being is preserved.

Philadelphia, April 13, 1835.

S. H. T.

MEMOIR.

GREGORY TOWNSEND BEDELL was born on Staten Island, in the harbour of New-York, on the 28th of October, 1793. His father, Israel Bedell, was a man of true excellence of character, of a peaceful temper and spirit, and much beloved by those who were connected with him. He lived to see fourscore years, to witness the full eminence and usefulness of his only son, and to receive many happy proofs of his filial gratitude and love. He died at Elizabethtown, in New-Jersey, on the 30th of August, in the year 1830, in the comfort and confidence of a Gospel hope, and leaving behind him a character unblemished and unreproached. The mother of the subject of our present notice, was a sister of the Right Rev. Bishop Moore, of Virginia. She was remarkable both for her mental accomplishments and for her external beauty; adorned with a most amiable disposition; and kind and benevolent to the poor. She was early admitted as a communicant of the Protestant Epis

copal Church, and honoured the doctrine of her Saviour by a consistent walk of faith and piety. She was married late in life, and lived only until her son was nine years old.

It is said to have been the uniform and ardent desire of Mrs. Moore, the mother of Mrs. Bedell, that all her sons should devote themselves to the ministry of the Gospel; a desire which was remarkably gratified by the gracious providence of God, in raising from her sons and grandsons, not less than five preachers of the truth; three of whom still survive to labour in their important vocation.

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The subject of the present memoir, was the only son of his parents. His father had three daughters, the children of a former marriage, who were in a most eminent degree affectionate and useful sisters to him, and made, in the hands of God, the main instruments in educating him for the work in which his life was so usefully employed. They were permitted to receive from him in return, the most unequivocal proofs of his affectionate gratitude, and two of them survived him to lament his departure from the earth.

Though in most instances we are able to trace in childhood the germs of the future character of the man, it is but rarely the fact, perhaps, that the brightest and valuable traits in the mature character, are very early discovered. In the instance before us, however, we find remarkable evidences in his earliest life, of the same lovely characteristics which were so

strikingly displayed in his subsequent career of excellence. From his infancy, he is remembered as a gentle and interesting child, making himself the object of universal favour and affection in the family circle. His disposition was so amiable and equal, that he was scarcely ever seen to be excited by an angry passion. There was a sweetness in his voice, and a softness and delicacy in his manners, which attracted to him the love of all. His talent for music, which afterwards became so remarkable, developed itself very early in his life. When but two years old, he could sing several tunes with accuracy, and at this infantile period, when taken to witness a military parade, his success in following the time of the martial music with a little drum which was slung upon his neck, arrested the notice of the bystanders with astonishment. From his childhood, his constitution was delicate, and his nervous system painfully susceptible. His timidity and diffidence were so great, that for two years after the proper age for his instruction in school had arrived, he could not be persuaded to go, unless attended by his elder sister, and was thus easily led to seek for his amusements at home, and to avoid the society of other children, calculated to injure the moral influence under which his parents desired him to be educated.

These little characteristics of his childhood are interesting to us, as we have witnessed them in the operation of his succeeding life. They are less so, however, than some others which at this period